


A Knight’s Goodbye

by Casey_Wolfe



Category: Last Knights (2015)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Angst, Established Relationship, Goodbyes, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Rare Fandoms, Rare Pairings, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 13:45:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5499266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casey_Wolfe/pseuds/Casey_Wolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raiden and Cortez say goodbye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Knight’s Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> What the hell do you mean you haven’t seen Last Knights? Well, we have to fix that. Seriously, this has spoilers for one, and two you’re really missing out. This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve tempted you guys into seeing something new, and it probably won’t be the last. I watched this movie last night and got so excited I penned a [review](http://thedenofcaseywolfe.tumblr.com/post/135727924661/what-do-you-mean-you-havent-seen-last-knights), as well as doing this quick little alternative ending. It is a MUST SEE, okay?

They were all prepared to face their end.  They were warriors with untold amounts of honor and they had more than proven that.  By reclaiming the honor of their former master they knew they would be asked to pay the ultimate price.  There was never a hesitation on any of their parts.

They had lost brothers that night.  They had lost _Gabriel_.  They were all ready to join them.

Met at the gate to the castle, Raiden alone stepped forward in silent challenge to the guard in their path.  Somewhat begrudgingly he moved aside, allowing them to pass.  Raiden only gestured for the rest of his men to stay put.

Naturally Cortez spoke up.  “Commander?  What is this?”

Raiden’s voice was carefully neutral when he turned to him. “You are to assume control of the castle.”

“No.”  Cortez was not the only one to come forward, however two pole axes crossed in front of him, keeping him from Raiden.  “ _Commander_ ,” Cortez spoke through clenched teeth, a fire burning in his belly that was barely kept at bay.  His eyes begged for answers that Raiden didn’t know if he could give.  As was their relationship however, Cortez required no words.  “You cannot do this.  We stand with you.   _I_ stand with you.”

“Lieutenant,” Raiden put just enough order in his voice, “your devotion to the Code is absolute, is it not?”

Cortez swallowed.  “Yes.”

“Then as your Commander, I order you to take control of the Bartok Clan.”

It pained Cortez to say it, knowing that Raiden had condemned himself in their stead.  “Yes.”  As Raiden looked to the rest of his men, assured they would follow their new Commander as loyally as they had him, Cortez began to tremble.

“Raiden,” he spoke softly, unable to hide the pain, the desperation.

The mask of the Commander faded away.  Raiden had done his duty as leader of the Seventh Rank.  He was walking towards his death- that they all knew- so no one would begrudge the man a final goodbye, a final moment with his bonded.  “My love.”

Pushing the axes aside that barred his way, Cortez cleared the meager space between them.  He grabbed hold of Raiden with such force as to knock the wind from his lungs.  Not that Raiden did not hold on just as hard, fingers twining with the leather straps at the back of Cortez’s armor.

They, like most of the Rank, had wives to bear them heirs as was expected, and while they loved them, it was a love not near to that they held for each other.  They were more than brothers-in-arms, more than lovers, bonded together under the Code.  All the Rank had seen their bond, pure and strong, and it hurt them all now to watch the pair embrace.

“I should have known,” Cortez breathed.  He could have fallen on his own sword with how blind he had been.  With organizing the assassination mostly on his own however, he had little time to think about what Raiden would do after it was over.  “Damn you Raiden.”  His finger grasped at the Commander’s cloak, choking back tears.  “You cannot do this to me.  I was to be beside you in the end.”

“You are my love,” Raiden murmured back, tipping his nose into the crook of Cortez’s neck.  “I carry you in my heart.  Always.”

Cortez let out a broken sound, slamming their lips together in a desperate kiss.

Because they knew Raiden would be watched at all hours, it had been up to Cortez, Gabriel, Rodrigo, Shimon, Josiah, and Olaf to gather the majority of their intelligence and put a plan into place.  However Raiden’s act also meant that he and Cortez could not be with each other.  Outside the rare stolen moment- and _moments_ were all they were as they could not chance to linger- they had not seen each other in the last year.

Despite being bloodied and exhausted, the rest of the night and that morning had been spent lying together.  Passion they both knew to be their last placed into every kiss, every touch.

“Take care of them,” Raiden spoke against his lips.

Catching his breath, Cortez pressed their foreheads together.  “I promise.”

“I love you.”  Raiden’s voice was filled with warmth, but also a resigned finality.  “By my sword, by my honor, and by my heart,” he repeated their vows when they became bonded, “I shall always be yours.”

Tears stung at Cortez’s eyes.  “And should that day come,” he continued, words they had both promised that day, “when we are called to sacrifice, I will do so with a smile, for I have known you.”  His voice broke as he finished, “And I will see you again.”

Raiden’s eyes fell shut, pressing a loving kiss to Cortez’s forehead.  “I love you too Raiden.”  His fingers curled into the front of Raiden’s coat, tugging him in for what was to be their last kiss.  When they parted, Raiden cupped his cheek, one last lingering look before turning away, headed towards his fate with head held high.

Cortez took a shaky step back, grateful when he felt the press of his men behind him.  Shimon was at his back, Ito at his left shoulder.  While Josiah hovered near his right, Rodrigo stepped up beside him, looking at Cortez for a long moment before he too watched where their Commander had gone.

Unable to look away, Cortez watched until Raiden had disappeared from sight.  Even as he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, it did not loosen the knot in his chest.

He turned then to his men, to those he and Raiden had trained with and led all of these years.  They were a family, tied together by blood and battle, splintered without Raiden.  Cortez had already lost Gabriel, the boy brought up almost as a son to he and Raiden.  He would not lose his bonded too.

Determination filling him, the thumb of his left hand tapped at the hilt of his sword.  Raiden had made one mistake in his planning.  He had given Cortez full command of the Seventh Rank, and he never put a stipulation on what Cortez could or could not do with that new position.

/End

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr](http://thedenofcaseywolfe.tumblr.com/).


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